Indian meal moth; pantry moth
A common stored-product pest; the adult moth is often seen in kitchens and pantries. Scientific name: Plodia interpunctella.
The Indian meal moth lays its eggs in dried food products.
If you find a pantry moth in the kitchen, you need to inspect your food.
Katakana spelling is standard for this insect name; usually written in kana.
Kanji spelling is rare and mostly used in taxonomic or specialized contexts; learners will almost always encounter the katakana form.
The name likely derives from 熨斗目 (noshi-me, a type of patterned cloth) + 斑 (madara, spotted) + 螟蛾 (meiga, pyralid moth), referring to the wing pattern. The exact origin is uncertain.